When Wayne Rooney voiced his "anger and confusion" this week to David Moyes at his fallen status he instantly became yesterday's man at Manchester United. Allowing knowledge of the telephone calls to the new manager to go public was the first blink in the long-running schism between Rooney and the club, with the striker finally deciding the true feelings towards United and his future should be known.

Ever since Sir Alex Ferguson, Moyes's predecessor, dropped Rooney for United's biggest game of last season, the last-16 Champions League second leg with Real Madrid at Old Trafford in March, the message has been clear that he was no longer the club's most prized asset.

Yet since that spring evening Rooney had kept his counsel, the player refusing to voice any disquiet at his treatment from Ferguson, with his advisers also offering no comment or off-record guidance.

But with him entering the final two years of his contract in the close season Ferguson signalled the end-game had started when claiming in early May that Rooney had lodged a formal transfer request during a meeting to discuss his future.

After dropping him in what was Ferguson's final home game as manager, the 2-1 win over Swansea City on 12 May, the Scot said: "I don't think Wayne was keen to play simply because he has asked for a transfer [something later denied] and I think Rooney wants to think it through in his mind and I think that's a good idea. We're not going to let him go and I think maybe he's a little bit frustrated after being taken off once or twice in the last few weeks."

Describing Rooney as a little frustrated was a final barb from Ferguson, who had become tired of a player he viewed as having lost the cold-eyed focus that has made his replacement as United's top dog, Robin van Persie, so successful. Rooney denies he has taken his eye off the ball one iota.

Last term Ferguson constantly referred to what he perceived as Rooney's lack of fitness and the need for him to have regular game-time to be an effective force, an odd comment regarding a 27-year-old who should be enjoying his career's peak years and who has no doubt he is in prime condition.

Yet the pattern of the Scot dropping Rooney for some games became established, as did the equally damaging one of him being played out of position, often in a wide role or in central midfield.

Three years ago the story had been so different. Then Rooney called the shots, backing Ferguson and United into a corner with a formal transfer demand that had an end-game of yielding a lucrative £300,000-a-week contract and confirmation of his standing at the club.

Now he has become the squad rotation player of whom Moyes said this week: "Overall my thought on Wayne is, if for any reason we had an injury to Robin van Persie, we'll need him. It's going to be a time to see how I work with Wayne. Maybe in a year's time we might have to look at something else. The first year, I have to get a chance to see the players and how best to use them. I've got to ensure it's not just him and we don't concentrate on him. Manchester United isn't about Wayne; Manchester United is about the team, the club."

Rooney and United have yet to state that he should leave but this is purely down to pragmatism as each seek to win the PR battle before United's supporters and retain the best respective financial outcome when he does depart.

How much Rooney will be sold for, and to which club, will make for fascinating bar-room debate until he leaves. At the start of the summer United's prospective asking price was £40m but the sense now is an offer of £25m would have them listening. For Rooney, whose wife Colleen's preference is to stay in England, Chelsea would allow this and offer him a side with serious trophy-winning credentials.

By the close of the transfer window his future should have been settled.